Exploring the customer e-loyalty of millennials when purchasing footwear online in South Africa

Abstract

Millennial purchases of footwear products online have grown in South Africa. Consequently, retailers in the country should develop increased knowledge of these consumers’ online expectations to strengthen their satisfaction and future loyalty intentions. The study aimed to explore the factors influencing millennial consumers’ e-satisfaction and e-loyalty when buying footwear online in South Africa. An enhanced understanding is required of the factors impacting millennial consumers’ e-service experiences and e-trust behaviour, and their influence on e-satisfaction when purchasing footwear online. Data were collected from 248 respondents who bought footwear online over the past year. An online questionnaire and structural equation modelling were used to measure the hypotheses. In terms of the findings, website design secured the most significant impact on customer e-service experience, when buying footwear through an online platform. In addition, it was established that e-satisfaction significantly impacted millennial consumers’ e-loyalty when buying footwear online. As such, it is imperative for online retailers targeting millennials to ensure a superior online shopping experience that will exceed their expectations. This will enhance the overall e-satisfaction experience of millennials and ultimately positively influence their attitudinal loyalty (AL) towards the retailer.